Keith in Real Life
by Hiisilija
Summary: It all came rushing back to him in a painful blur of dizziness; the kid not even a year under Keith—the one in his class at the Garrison. Keith's chest tightened. Old emotions resurfaced in a storm of bitter fury. It was like Keith hadn't spent years forgetting. Keith felt a dull ache in his knuckles; a painful reminder of everything that happened the day he left.
1. A Familiar Face

**Chapter One: A Familiar face**

Keith was dancing in Shiro's old, beat-up black truck. The young man couldn't recall a time where it actually looked black, he just knew that's what it was supposed to be. Not that anyone would be able to tell with the chipped paint, rust, and general age that came with a car they stopped selling in 1969. But it was for that very reason that Keith secretly liked the rust and dirt. The old truck had developed a reddish-brownish hue to its corners and edges. The roof was rusted to terracotta red, the doors to a bloodied pink-orange. Keith loved this truck. It was his first car; the official symbol of his freedom. He could do anything and go anywhere. This truck gave him the freedom he'd been aching for since Shiro's family took him in.

He kept the music blasting, trying to calm his nerves. He hadn't seen Shiro in a long time and found himself more nervous than he should be. Shiro was flying down from the state of Washington to meet Keith in miserable East Texas. Why? Keith couldn't be sure. He had his guesses.

A drive through dusty New Mexico, boiling Arizona, and grimy Nevada to the beautiful, coastal state of Oregon would certainly break the ice between them. Why else would Shiro come all the way to Texas when he was currently residing in Oregon's neighboring state? Keith's other suspicion was less likely, but the scenario he preferred. Apparently, Shiro's boyfriend would be staying with him in Oregon this summer. Keith had resigned himself to a lonely drive to meet him when Shiro proposed an alternative that meant Keith could have him all to himself; no boyfriend, no complications. The two of them could come back together.

Keith was amazed by how quickly two brothers could fall apart. There had been a time where Keith relied on Shiro for everything. Shiro guided, counseled, and taught him everything he knew from the moment his father died.

Then again, that was before Kerberos.

Keith's phone buzzed.

Unknown Number

This is Takashi Shirogane's brother?

**Yes?**

okay

sorry but this is his boyfriend.

**Excuse me?**

shiro had a clever plan to force us to get along

i was going to drive up with the two of you

**I don't think so. Who is this?**

**How do you know my brother?**

Im dating him. He was going to introduce me to you on the drive up.

**I think you're mistaken. I'm in Houston. Texas. **

im in houston.

**What?**

Hard rock cafe? Houston avenue

Shiro said you would be confused.

**What would make him think that?**

He missed his flight. he was coming down to pick me up.

He could only afford one plane ticket and he wasn't leaving me here. I cant actually afford my own...

and you're too stubborn to fly up and he didn't want to drive 3000 miles on your own in your "sad truck"

**Shiro missed his flight?**

Yup. Work emergency before vacation started. he said he'd explain later

but that it was more important that I got into contact with you?

**Me?**

you're my ride. no money

remember?

...?

Hello?

sorry about this I thought you knew

Shiro made it sound like you knew. of course he did. I don't want to intrude

but I need a way to get up or I'm stuck at my abuela's for the summer

**Wait.**

I mean. She's nice. but shes no Abeulita

... What?

**You're inside?**

have been for twenty minutes. 

but I guess you were looking for Shiro...

should I come out? I'm not going to OFFICIALLY ask in a text

but I still need a ride

how bout it bro?

**I'll come inside.**

**What do you look like? Where are you sitting?**

back left corner. looking away from the door. 

I'm the smoakin bisexual cuban

**Welcome to Texas. Can I get something besides Latino?**

back left corner

**Thanks.**

You're sarcastic. Right? Shiro said you didn't like people.

never mind

stay out there.

I can find a sad truck easier than a person

**Fine. **

sorry

**What again?**

oops. i just meant

i mean,

if you want to come inside thats cool

but it just occurred to me that shiro said you didn't handle people well and its crowded... and you've been sitting in the parking lot for twenty minutes in the sun rather than air conditioning with drinks.

**I appreciate the consideration.**

You're welcome?

hang on

okay. I'm outside

Where are you parked?

**In the corner by the exit. It's a red toyota. I'll turn up the music.**

... wait.

the guy blasting metallica?

**Punk Rock. **

But that's you? stubby little red thing? kinda rusty?

oh,,, sad truck

I get it now.

**Follow The Talking Heads. I've rolled down the windows for you.**

do you always text like you're writing an essay?

**Do you always text like you're speaking? If you change your mind, you know you could hit backspace instead of send. Right?**

no. then you wouldn't get the full grasp of my personality

i should never be censored.

**Clearly.**

Don't worry. I'm just as expressive in person

**Fantastic.**

Not to ryhme

but

Sarcastic.

:)

?

You still there?

oh, right

I'll come find you now

Keith stared at the phone in his hands, debating an answer.

If this poor soul thought he was being sarcastic, he clearly didn't understand the lengths Keith just went through to be polite. Shiro would be proud. Keith rarely exercised such restraint. Keith considered sending another message, something along the lines of 'If I answer you will you start walking already?' or 'If I throw my phone out the window and never answer again, will you take a hint?'

Of course, he would phrase it slightly nicer than that. His current dilemma was getting the idiot to him, where he could talk in person, much faster. Even though Keith couldn't filter himself outside of a text, at least he could understand what was happening.

Keith's phone flashed the bright message indicating Shiro had not taken his call. If Shiro wasn't on a plane, he could answer the phone. Even with this work emergency, Shiro had time to call his boyfriend. He was throwing the poor man at Keith as a shield. Not only did he lie about their private drive up, but he wasn't going to make it.

The level of anxiety Keith was experiencing at the prospect of driving cross country with an outgoing stranger was akin to walking through a crowded Hard Rock Cafe. Only this time, Keith didn't seem to have a choice in the matter. Was he supposed to send Shiro's boyfriend back home when he couldn't afford transport to Oregon? This was the same man Shiro was dedicating his entire summer off to. Obviously, he meant a lot to Shiro...

Ugh. Keith had to be nice to him.

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath during the beat of silence between songs.

_"Keith!?"_

Keith looked over, making eye contact with... Well, a Smoakin' Cuban. I bisexual one, as it was. Keith quickly scolded himself. Obviously, he wasn't going to hit on Shiro's boyfriend. He wasn't going to dream about him either, but this... kid, was Keith's type. Not in a petty way. But he was young. Younger than Keith. Barely eighteen. Keith never thought Shiro would go for anyone so much younger than him.

Keith swallowed.

_Lance McClain._

It all came rushing back to him in a painful blur of dizziness; the kid not even a year under Keith—the one in his class at the Garrison. He had been taller than Keith by an inch or two at the time, but that was no longer the case. His face was younger now than it was then (if that was even possible). He was lankier then, too. Not as confident or comfortable in his own body.

Keith's chest tightened. Old emotions resurfaced in a storm of bitter fury. It was like Keith hadn't spent years forgetting. The awkward boy who hit on every girl was now confident and out of the closet—his shields down. Keith felt a dull ache in his knuckles; a painful reminder of everything that happened the day he left.

Lance's brows were furrowed. His cheek was pinched to the left in some combination of anger and reservation. It occurred to Keith that Lance had no way to know that Keith's anger wasn't directed at him. He took great care to wipe the hateful expression from his face, recognizing he failed.

Lance folded his strong arms across his chest. "Keith Kogane," Lance said, pronouncing Keith's last name correctly. "Nope. No, you—No, no, no. No, you are not Shiro's brother."

Keith said the only stupid thing he could think of. "Who are you?"


	2. Disaster Imminent

**Chapter Two: Disaster Imminent**

"Who _am_ I!?" Lance looked shocked. The shock quickly melted into anger. "Uh, the name's _Lance_. We were in the same class at the Garrison."

Lance glared at him through confused eyes. Keith felt his heart beating slower like it always did when he was caught in a lie. Lance saw how Keith reacted when he realized who he was looking at. Lance _knew _Keith recognized him, but Keith felt trapped. He couldn't... It's not like he could just tell Lance about everything. When Shiro had disappeared on that mission to Kerberos, it was the hardest time of Keith's life. Harder than losing his dad. Harder than realizing his mom left him.

Shiro was sick, and he knew it. Keith didn't think he was coming _back. _No one did.

It took a whole year for Shiro and the rest of the crew to return. They returned as heroes, surviving critical failure in their ship, losing all communications, then hopping across space to an abandoned satellite to complete repairs. Only then did they finally, _finally _crash back on earth. The Garrison grounded Shiro for life and admitted the Holts for psych evaluations.

Did Keith admit to what happened? Did he apologize?

Nope. He didn't.

"Really?" Keith choked. "Are you an engineer?"

"_No_," Lance groaned, almost growled. "I'm a _pilot_."

Keith stared at him. Right. He'd forgotten that, while Keith and Shiro were no longer flying, the rest of the world was.

Lance rolled his eyes, his anger fading. "We were like rivals. You know," Lance explained. Maybe he was buying it? It's not like they were very close. "Lance and Keith, neck and neck."

One look and Keith could tell it was a trap. Lance may have struggled in class, but damn, he was _smart_. A silent challenge rested behind the intense gleam in Lance's eyes. His gaze was so intense Keith wanted to crawl under his truck. He reminded himself he had been through worse, but it wasn't helping. Keith was dangling over a chasm of memories; a few good, most bad.

"Oh, _wait_. I remember you." He did the only thing that made sense. The one thing that trumped his anxiety _every_ time. Keith lashed out. "You're a _cargo pilot_."

Lance snorted. "I'm not, actually. I was fighter class, thanks to you washing out. Graduated at the top of my class."

A swell of jealousy and longing prompted Keith to stay very still. He kept his emotions under wraps, ignoring the memory of inertia tugging at his gut. The steel grip of the controls in his hands; the absolute certainty that Keith used with them. "Well, congratulations."

Lance registered something in Keith's monotone voice, perhaps the lack of emotion. Lance's gaze drifted to the rising sun. "Well, since we're already acquainted. Ready to go?"

Keith raised his eyebrows. "Sorry?"

Lance smiled. "I have a wedding to attend in a couple months. I planned on spending them with my boyfriend. Just do this for me," Lance prompted, waiting for Keith to relax. "Promise me that this thing won't kill us."

Keith smirked. "Trust me, I built it myself."

Keith tried not to be prideful. It was one of the many unfortunate character traits he carried under his now-calm resolve: pride. But seeing Lance, an amazing pilot, aweing the truck Keith built fed the starved emotion dangerously.

"You built this?" Lance asked, shifting on the padded seats.

"Yep. I know it's small, but that's how they used to make these things." Keith turned the air conditioning down. "I've replaced every part of this truck except the outside."

"Yeah. I can tell," Lance laughed.

Keith's cheeks tugged up on their own accord. "It can go faster than any other vehicle. I can get up to speed in a third of the time."

Lance glanced over the shoulder, eyeing the bed of the truck. "I guess it _is_ a lot lighter."

Keith followed his vision. "Yeah, if I need to carry anything, it goes back there. It slows Red down, but not by much."

Keith kept his eyes on the road, watching thousands of larger, cleaner vehicles driving in neat lines. Excluding the occasional car that attempted to beat traffic by weaving through it. Keith had a very low opinion of people who tried to drive their own cars for _that_ particular reason. But, of course, Keith was the exception.

"Red?" Lance asked, his tone highly controlled.

"Well, we think Red was black once. Shiro's great, great grandfather collected rare cars. This was one of them," Keith admitted with hesitancy. How much did Lance know about Shiro's family? Should he elaborate? Probably not. There was no point in discussing the past.

"Great, great grandfather, huh?" Lance jolted in his seat. "Wait, a second! How _old_ is this, exactly?"

Keith pinched his lips. "This... This came out before—uh—the _first_ mission to the moon."

"The first mission—" Lance gagged. "No, let me out. _Nope_. Not happening."

Keith cast a quizzical glance sideways. "Too late. Your bags are packed and we're merged into heavy traffic."

"Nineteen-sixty-nine. No. That's the dark ages, Mullet. _The dark ages_... Speaking of which," Lance gestured wildly to Keith's hands on the wheel. "Are you gonna let the car drive now? _Please_ tell me it can drive. I don't want to die in a crash because of _Pilot Error_—"

Keith heard Lance cut himself off—wisely—but it was too late. The words were already spoken. _Pilot Error. _

Lance stared out the passenger window. His fingers fumbled with his jacket sleeves, traveling up and tugging on his hood. Lance managed to resist the urge to put it on. "Sorry."

Keith licked his lips, his throat drier than it was before. How was that possible? Two words. Was that all it took? "That's—you're fine. It's... There's not much to do in here. Not..." Lance was staring at Keith's hands, flexing and flexing against the wheel. "There isn't a lot of room, so I prefer to drive. I don't have to... If you don't want me to."

Lance waited, possibly contemplating his choice of words. The awkward silence finally forced him to spit it out. "I _don't _think you're going to crash, but now—these days—when cars _do_, it's almost _always _because of—"

"I am a pilot," Keith snapped. "Remember?"

"Right," Lance said, avoiding the topic of Keith not graduating.

Keith shook his head, feeling like pushing Lance for no real reason. Pride, perhaps. "I bet I could still out-fly you."

"Maybe," Lance admitted softly.

Keith grunted at Lance's response. This was no fun. After a quick reminder not to make a game of Shiro's significant other, Keith made the horrible decision to be a good person. Keith flipped the auto-pilot switch on, sliding his chair back to give himself as much room as possible. Lance followed his example, stretching his legs and staring at his feet; mirroring Keith but no longer acknowledging him.

"Seriously?" Keith asked. "Years of experience, top of your class, you're not even going to defend yourself?"

Lance kept his head down, talking to his toes. "You were an amazing pilot."

Keith rolled his eyes. He nudged his fist into Lance's arm, getting the man to look him in the eyes. Keith sighed. "Maybe... _Maybe, _I _would have _been. If I hadn't dropped out, maybe. But not _anymore_. Don't feel so sorry for me. You have taken _nothing_ from me."

Lance folded his legs onto the chair, rocking slightly as he did so, still not keeping still. Even in crushing awkwardness. "Shiro is your brother?"

Keith nodded hastily, realizing that Lance was waiting for confirmation. It felt strange to confirm that Shiro was his brother because he _was_. Keith didn't really see it any other way. Sometimes, he forgot that Shiro's family wasn't his family. Yeah, they took him in. They raised him. But Keith Kogane wasn't the brother of the untouchable Takashi Shirogane. Keith sometimes forgot that the world didn't know.

Shiro was always sure to protect him from them knowing.

"I knew you _knew_ him. We all—" Lance bit his cheek. "we all knew he got you into the garrison. Some kids—not me—thought you... _left_ because he wasn't there to make excuses for you anymore."

"I figured," Keith told him.

"There were rumors about Shirogane writing off your behavior with deposits—"

_That _startled Keith. "Really?"

Lance flinched. "... Yeah. Anyway, you leaving now... Knowing that _Shiro,_" Lance said the name with a sweet reverence—like many others when meeting the hero of the Kerberos mission. "Uh, is your—"

Keith groaned, repressing his laughter as Lance jumped in his seat. Obviously, Lance hadn't expected him to get bored. But what was Lance thinking? Keith wasn't _new _to all of this. This was his life. he didn't need it explained to him. He didn't need Lance to break it down and express condolences. "_Yes_, Lance. I _washed out _because my brother was dead. Then, it turned out, he wasn't. Happy?"

"No?"

Keith pulled out his phone, clicking his tongue as he brought up his chat with Shiro. This was Shiro's fault. He trapped him in a car with Lance McClain. He was going to suffer. "I didn't leave _just _because of Shiro. It was a lot more complicated than that, okay? I would've left anyway."

Keith paused, biting his tongue. There were _other problems._

"If you say so."

Keith could tell Lance was trying to sound skeptical, but Keith heard the bounce in his voice. Lance didn't deserve to think that he only graduated because Keith left. Lance may have gotten upgraded to fighter class because of Keith, but no one graduates at the top of their class if they didn't deserve it. Keith wondered what Iverson thought of that. Lance, the boy he insulted and ridiculed and said wasn't good enough, squeezing his way in and making the absolute best of it.

All praise for Lance fleeted from Keith's mind after he heard the young pilot talk. "So... No. You could never beat me in a simulator."

Keith scoffed. "Who said anything about a simulator? We're staying at the Shirogane's beach house. Miles of untouched plains," Keith sang. "I'm going to take you flying, McClain. And I'm going to kick your ass."

Lance grinned but appeared preoccupied. It occurred to Keith then, that a top-notch pilot couldn't even get a ticket on someone _else's_ plane? Keith backed out of his chat with Shiro, rereading Lance's ridiculous texts. Not only did it become painfully clear to Keith that this was _Lance, _but he reread the part about Lance staying with his grandmother. Keith knew enough about Family issues not to ask, but he assumed they were connected.

"Twenty-three hundred miles," Keith blurted, staring at a particular line of text.

Lance raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

"It's not," Keith cleared his throat. "Shiro said three thousand miles? It's—"

"_Oh_," Lance waved his hand. "Yeah—"

"—not three thou—"

"—I know..."

They both ceased at once, drowning in the uncomfortable silence. It was going to be a _fun_ trip.


	3. Ailment

**Chapter Three: Ailment**

Shiro

**Who is this kid? He's a KID, Shiro.**

**What the hell?**

**Do you think I'm not above killing the messenger?**

**He's in the car with me.**

**Not as a corpse, but I think I'll make one by the end of this week. What do you think?**

**Shiro, we talked about this. Tell me you're not dead.**

**Now?**

**Shiro?**

**SHIRO. NOW.**

Not dead. Working. Love you.

**Good to know. Please, do continue freezing me out while I deal with this hyperactive, outgoing CHILD.**

**Have you ever texted him?**

He's... Eccentric.

**He called me bro. BRO, Shiro.**

I'm so sorry you had to endure such a tragedy.

**Don't get snarky with me. **

Working now.

**FINE.**

Shiro

I'm free.

**For good?**

Not quite.

I might not be at the house by the time you get there.

**SHIRO.**

Come on, Lance is not that bad. Let me settle up work so I can take the summer off.

**You could get it if you wanted it.**

I'm not playing the medical card. I HATE playing the medical card.

**Uh-Oh.**

Keith...

What did you do?

**Payback time.**

Don't kill my boyfriend.

Please.

Keith?

**Lance is asking if I'm texting you.**

**He says me typing 'you' is confirmation. **

He's reading over your shoulder?

For how long?

**Hang on.**

**Okay. He's throwing a fit, but he's not looking anymore. Like I said, hyperactive child. **

Keith. You know what I'm asking about.

**He wants to know what you mean by 'the medical card.'**

You're sure he's not looking?

**Positive. And I'm sorry. I didn't know.**

**Answer. **

**Shiro? Please?**

**What do I do if he starts asking questions?**

**What can I tell him?**

**Shiro, he could be freaking out.**

**Okay.**

**I love you. Lips are sealed.**

Thank you.

**Jerk.**

"Is he sick?" Lance asked, again.

Keith just sighed. "Lance, I will put in Sound Chips if you don't back off."

Keith didn't look at him. Judging by the trembling voice, he didn't think he could handle it if he did.

"But is he _okay_?"

Keith had half a mind to snap, _What do you think?! _but refrained, sighing again instead.

"Keith," Lance accused through grit teeth. "Is this why he's inviting me to the wedding? How much time does he have _left_?"

The blood poured slowly into Keith's feet. He promised Shiro he would say nothing. _Nothing. _Why did Lance have to sound so concerned?

"This is why he doesn't fly anymore," Lance surmised. "Iverson always said bad shit, that Takashi shouldn't have been on that mission in the first place. The best pilot in the garrison? Why _did_ that ship crash? What did they mean by pilot error? Keith? _Keith!? _Answer me!"

Keith looked up, Lance's eyes wet and his lip trembling. He thought about Adam, Shiro's last love, unable to take the pressure of loving someone so much they were destined to lose. Keith liked Adam. He was trying so very hard to not compare him to Lance right now. But Keith and Adam had talked several times about the _Pilot Error. _About whether Shiro had died _before_ the ship crashed. Why Shiro was incapable of even saying the word 'Mayday.' Adam talked about the guilt. Even though he didn't want to feel Shiro's loss, he felt it anyway. Only... Shiro went up there thinking he was _alone_.

Then Shiro had the audacity to come back alive and hurt Adam more.

Keith didn't realize he had a wet streak down his cheek. Thinking about Shiro... It wasn't fair. To Shiro or Keith or Adam. Now Lance was on that list? Keith knew exactly why Shiro was afraid. What if Lance couldn't handle it? This obnoxious young pilot sitting right next to Keith, poking incessantly at him for answers; Shiro didn't want to lose him.

Keith turned to face Lance, even though he was crying - quite possibly, scaring him more - he made a single request. "Please, Lance. Just let him have this."

Shiro

He is not a child.

**Why was this worth more than sleep?**

Good morning.

**Good NIGHT. **

Lance is not a child. He's your age.

Lance also has ADHD. Don't get on him about being hyper.

**Fine. But Lance is younger than me, actually.**

**Almost a whole year.**

So he was one class younger than you, so what? He's twenty. He turns twenty one soon.

**Sweet lord. **

**Your boyfriend can't drink. **

Keith, no one should drink under twenty five.

**Shiro, Lance can't buy alcohol. **

Do you drink?

**Lance is too young to drink.**

You know your brain isnt fully developed until twentyfive right? We talked about this

**One of us will successfully derail this conversation and it ain't gonna be you.**

You want the speech? I was going to give it in person.

I get to live too keith

**We'll talk in person.**

Understand now that age doesn't matter. LANCE matters.

You'd know that if you knew him like I do

**Okay.**

So... youre done talking now?

Response?

**Goodnight Shiro**

Tell Lance to text me

**Sure. 'Night.**


End file.
